Undocking widgets and tabs as proper windows

[telephon]

The QT-GUI-design with dockable widgets is very nice and nicely configurable, but it seems that simply being able to undock widgets as proper windows would be a good feature.

On OS X, the current behaviour feels, well, let's say "unusual" -- you'd expect a list of windows etc. in the menu bar, to be able to close or minimise it etc. The same is true for the tabs - if you are not using tabs much, it is probably just as strange as the organised chaos of open windows is for people who are used to tabs.

[telephon]

Looking at the API, I read it to be as easy as setting the parent of the QWidget to nil?

[danstowell]

Just to note that this is an issue for me too (as I commented in #569). I find it rather annoying that I can't leave a help window open but alt-tabbed out of the way.

Modal windows don't allow you to alt-tab things out of the way without closing them. There are alternative strategies a user could take (such as learning to close-open-close-open the help) but they shouldn't have to.

[jamshark70]

So many people have complained about this and it hasn't changed, such that I think there must be a part of the picture that I'm not seeing. So, some questions, not meant to judge, but to help users who are experiencing some level of frustration to understand why:

• What is the concrete benefit of using docks for basically everything that is not a code editor panel? I guess it is so that they can be integrated into the main window.
• What is the technical obstacle to releasing these widgets from a dockable state? If I had to guess, I'd suppose it's that qt doesn't make it easy, but I haven't the foggiest why or what solutions or workarounds are available?

From this observer's viewpoint, enthusiasm for dockable everything has been anything but unanimous, and it's disconcerting that the answer has mainly been, "We won't support [undocking the post or help windows]." I can appreciate getting tired of hearing one more complaint or question. Still, it's an observable fact that the questions aren't going away, so, maybe it would save trouble in the future to explain the rationale once.

[jleben]

From this observer's viewpoint, enthusiasm for dockable everything has been anything but unanimous, and it's disconcerting that the answer has mainly been, "We won't support [undocking the post or help windows]."

Who ever said that?
We haven't had (made) time for it yet. Do you have it?

[jamshark70]

I recall Tim saying something like that when someone asked about a free-standing post window. I'm sure I deleted the email ages ago.

Anyway, this is the first I've heard that it was actually planned. I'm glad to hear that!

[timblechmann]

everything is possible, it is just a matter of time :/

[jleben]

Implemented.